PHCS PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.

PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY

PHCS Sleep Therapy Specialist & QRC Pharmacy is required to protect the privacy of your confidential personal health referred to below as protected health information (“PHI”). This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) is provided to you as a requirement of the privacy regulations issued under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPPA”). This Notice describes how PHCS Sleep Therapy Specialist & QRC Pharmacy may use and disclose your PHI to carry out treatment, payment and healthcare operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. This Notice also describes your rights to access and control your PHI. PHCS/QRC will make a good faith effort to obtain from you a written acknowledgement of receipt of this notice.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU. The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose medical information. For each category of uses or disclosures, we will elaborate on the meaning and provide more specific examples, if you request. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

For Payment. We may use and disclose medical information about you so that the treatment and services you receive at the practice may be billed to and payment may be collected from you, an insurance company or a third party. For example: we may disclose your record to an insurance company, so that we can get paid for treating you.

For Treatment: We may use medical information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. We may disclose medical information about you to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students, or other personnel who are involved in taking care of you at the practice or the hospital. For example, we may disclose medical information about you to people outside the practice who may be involved in your medical care, such as family members, clergy or other persons that are part of your care, and for whom you have signed authorization.

For Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose medical information about you for health care operations. These uses and disclosures are necessary to run the practice and ensure that all of our patients receive quality care. We may also disclose information to doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students, and other practice personnel for review and learning purposes. For example, we may review your record to assist our quality improvement efforts.
WHO WILL FOLLOW THIS NOTICE: This notice describes our practices policies and procedures and that of health care professionals authorized to enter information into your medical chart, any member of a volunteer group which we allow to help you, as well as all employees, staff and other practice personnel.

POLICY REGARDING THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION: We create a record of the care and services you receive at the practice. We need this record in order to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by the practice, whether made by practice personnel or by your personal doctor. The law requires us to make sure that medical information that identifies you is kept private; give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you; and to follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect. Other ways we may use or disclose your protected healthcare information include: appointment; as required by law; for health-related benefits and services; to individuals involved in your care or payment for your care: research: to avert a serious threat to health or safety; for treatment alternatives. Other uses and disclosures of your personal information could include disclosure to, or for; concerns, medical examiners and funeral directors; health oversight activities; inmates; law enforcement; lawsuits and disputes; military and veterans; national security and intelligence activities; organ and tissue donation; protective services for the President and others; public health risks; and worker’s compensation. Disclosures that require authorization include psychotherapy notes, marketing communications, and the sale of PHI. The individual can restrict disclosures to their health care plan under certain circumstances.